Senate votes to start trade debate

The Senate voted Thursday to advance a motion to begin debate on the core of President Obama’s trade agenda, putting it back on track after a week of deadlock.

In a 65-33 vote, the Senate agreed to proceed to a package that would empower Obama to negotiate future trade deals with minimal interference from Congress and assist U.S. workers displaced by foreign competition.

“I don't know,” he told reporters. “Many of our members have amendments.”

He added that Democrats planned to offer amendments on currency, enforcement and child labor.

If McConnell moves to cut off debate on Tuesday, it would limit votes on amendments and could spark an angry backlash from Democrats.

Democrats blocked McConnell’s first attempt to proceed to the trade package on Tuesday because it did not include a customs and enforcement measure addressing currency manipulation nor a package of trade preferences for Africa.

The Senate passed the customs and Africa trade pieces shortly after noon Thursday as stand-alone bills.

Democrats hope this will put pressure on Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to bring both to the House floor, but Boehner dismissed the idea of Congress legislating currency valuation on Thursday as “almost laughable.”

The trade package coming to the Senate floor includes Trade Promotion Authority, known as fast-track, and Trade Adjustment Assistance.

Fast-track authority would grant expedited congressional review to trade deals negotiated by Obama and future presidents. It would protect trade agreements from amendments and guarantee them up-or-down simple-majority votes.

TAA provides funding to retrain and boost the incomes of U.S. workers who lose their jobs or suffer diminished income as a result of foreign competition. It caps total funding for training, employment and case management services at $450 million for years 2015 through 2021.